Page 635 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

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boot, for rides between 10pm
and 7am, on Sundays and public
holidays, and for journeys to and
from airports.
In theory, taxis cannot be
hailed. Take one at an official
taxi stand (usually found at the
station, main piazza or close to
key tourist sights), or reserve
one by phone. When you order
a taxi by phone, take the driver’s
code name, eg Napoli 18. If you
An official taxi waiting at a pedestrian crossing call a cab, the meter will run
from your call.
These three lines (churches, museums
give easy access to and other places of Cycle Hire
the majority of the interest are often
city’s main sights. indicated by yellow Many towns and cities,
Metro tickets signs). Always carry especially those popular with
in both cities are Stay on the pavement your valuables well visitors, have stands and shops
available from the at all costs out of sight. The best offering bikes and scooters for
same sources as bus times to walk are in rent. You can usually rent hourly
and tram tickets, and the cool of the or by the day, and you may have
from machines and morning, or in the to leave your passport with the
ticket offices in early evening, when shop as a deposit. Be very
underground you can join in the careful, however, if riding a bike
stations. Tickets in pre-dinner stroll in the busy traffic of the larger
Rome are valid for Marginally less dangerous known as the towns and cities.
100 minutes for one to cross passeggiata. BikeMi in Milan gives access
metro journey only, to bikes at various places in the
but can be used on any number city. The initial fee is €4.50 a day
of bus and tram journeys. One-, Taxis (€9 a week), which covers the
two-, three- and seven-day Only accept rides in official taxis. first 30 minutes of hire. Rates are
tickets are also available and Most drivers are honest, but there then 50 cents for 30 minutes,
offer unlimited metro, bus and are many supplements that can rising to €2 per hour after the
tram travel. In Milan, by contrast, be legitimately levied. Generally first 2 hours. You can register by
ordinary metro tickets are valid an extra charge is made for each phone (02 48 60 76 07) or via
for 90 minutes for one metro piece of luggage placed in the the website (www.bikemi.it).
journey and can also be used
on the buses and trams.
Inter-City Transport: Coaches
Walking Long-haul buses areas may be run by
several com panies
(pullman or corriere)
Walking can be a wonderful between towns (notably around
way to explore Italy’s historic operate in a similar Florence and in
towns and cities, most of whose way to local buses, Tuscany), and not all
historic centres are smaller than though you can operate from the same
you might expect. Traffic can be usually buy tickets on termini. Services often
a curse, however, especially in board, and services depart from outside
railway stations, or
narrow streets (Rome is worst in are often run by Rome–Gubbio bus from a town’s main
different companies in
this respect), but many cities are different-coloured buses piazza. If in doubt, ask at
introducing pedestrianized (blue is the most common local tour ist offices. A reduced
areas or cutting down on car colour for pullman, orange for service may operate at
access around key tourist sights. city buses). Coaches in some weekends, when offices are shut.
On certain Sundays (domenica a
piedi), entire town centres may Rome Tuscany National &
be designated traffic-free zones. COTRAL Sita International
Italian towns have plenty of Tel 800 17 44 71 Tel 800 37 37 60. Eurolines
shady squares and cafés to or 06 72 05 72 05. ∑ sitabus.it Tel 0861 199 19 00.
escape the heat of the summer ∑ cotralspa.it Tra-In ∑ eurolines.it
sun, and churches and cathedrals
also provide cool retreats from Tel 0577 20 41 11.
the rigours of sightseeing. Most ∑ trainspa.it
sights are well signposted

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